CUWCD’s Board will hold a Board Meeting and workshop on Wednesday, February 17, 2021, beginning at 1:30 p.m. The public will not be able to attend in person. However, the public or any interested party may attend by teleconference and/or videoconference. Documents for meeting: Board Meeting Agenda / Permit Hearing Notice / Preliminary Board Packet / Permit Hearing Packet

GUIDELINES FOR PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN CLEARWATER UNDERGROUND WATER CONSERVATION DISTRICT BOARD MEETING, WORKSHOP AND PUBLIC HEARINGS

Clearwater UWCD, in order to maintain governmental transparency and continued government operation while reducing face-to-face contact for government open meetings, is implementing measures according to guidelines set forth by the Office of the Texas Governor, Greg Abbott. In accordance with section 418.016 of the Texas Government Code, Governor Abbott has suspended various open-meetings provisions that require government officials and members of the public to be physically present at a specified meeting location. CUWCD’s adherence to the Governor’s guidance temporary suspension procedure ensures public accessibility and opportunity to participate in CUWCD’s open meeting, workshop and public hearings. 

Members of the public wishing to make public comment during the meeting must register by emailing schapman@cuwcd.org  prior to 11:30 a.m. on February 17, 2021.  This meeting will be recorded and the audio will be available online http://www.cuwcd.org or by requesting a copy from daaron@cuwcd.org. A copy of the agenda packet is available on the CUWCD’s website prior to the meeting. 

You may join CUWCD’s Board Workshop, Public Meeting, Permit Hearing and Regular Board Agenda as follows:

• CUWCD Public Hearing, Board Workshop and Regular Board Meeting Wed, Feb 17, 2021 1:30 PM – 5:30 PM (CST)

• Join the meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone. https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/824981765

• You can also dial in using your phone.

United States (Toll Free): 1 866 899 4679  Access Code: 824-981-765

One-touch: tel:+18668994679,,824981765#

• New to GoToMeeting? Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts:

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We held the public hearing to accept public comment on the proposed Desired Future Conditions (“DFCs”) for the Edwards BFZ Aquifer and the Trinity Aquifer in Bell County Texas, in accordance with Section 36.108(d-2) of the Texas Water Code. The purpose of the hearing is to provide interested members of the public the opportunity to appear and provide comments to our Board of Directors only for the purpose related to the proposed DFCs.

CUWCD is one of eleven groundwater conservation districts located wholly or partially within Groundwater Management Area 8 (“GMA 8”); the other districts in GMA 8 include Central Texas Groundwater Conservation District, Middle Trinity Groundwater Conservation District, North Texas Groundwater Conservation District, Northern Trinity Groundwater Conservation District, Post Oak Savannah Groundwater Conservation District, Prairielands Groundwater Conservation District, Red River Groundwater Conservation District, Saratoga Underground Water Conservation District, Southern Trinity Groundwater Conservation District, and Upper Trinity Groundwater Conservation District.

At the last GMA 8 joint planning meeting, held on October 27, 2020 the district representatives voted to approve the proposed DFCs, which were distributed to the districts on November 5, 2020 to begin the 90-day comment period that closes at 5:00 pm on Wednesday February 3, 2021.

The proposed DFCs approved by the district representatives in GMA 8 are described in terms of acceptable drawdown levels for each subdivision of the Trinity Aquifer and maintaining spring flow for Edwards BFZ Aquifer.

In accordance with Section 36.108 (d-2) and Section 36.108 (d-3) the district shall compile for consideration at the next joint planning meeting of GMA8 after the June 1, 2021 deadline a summary of relevant comments received, any suggested revisions to the proposed desired future conditions and our basis for the proposed revisions. I anticipate the next GMA 8 meeting will fall in later June – July 2021 of this year. The statutory deadline to adopt the DFC’s for GMA8 is January 5, 2022.

The acceptable levels of drawdown for each subdivision of the Trinity Aquifer are measured in terms of water level drawdowns in feet over the current planning cycle which extends from 2010 to 2080. For CUWCD, the relevant proposed DFCs for the geologic layers of the Trinity Aquifer include the following:

• From estimated year 2010 conditions, the average drawdown of the Glen Rose Layer should not exceed approximately 83 feet by the year 2080.
• From estimated year 2010 conditions, the average drawdown in the Hensell Layer should not exceed approximately 145 feet by the year 2080.
• From estimated year 2010 conditions, the average drawdown in the Hosston Layer should not exceed approximately 375 feet by the year 2070.

For the northern segment of the Edwards (Balcones Fault Zone) Aquifer within GMA 8 the proposed DFCs within CUWCD boundaries are as follows:

•     Maintain at least 100 acre-feet per month of stream/spring flow in Salado Creek during a repeat of the drought of record in Bell County.

The hearing was properly noticed by posting the notice at the District Courthouse in Belton on December 23^rd @ 8:14 a.m. as well as in public notice in both the Temple Daily Telegram and the Killeen Daily Herald on December 23^rd. In accordance the district shall provide and will continue to provide the public the opportunity at the district headquarters and the district website full access of the proposed desired future conditions and any supporting materials, such as documentation of factors considered under subsection (d) and groundwater availability model run results. The above notifications occurred 21 days prior to the January 13, 2021 hearing thus meeting the minimum ten-day notice per Section 36.108 (d-2) the Texas Water Code prior to today.

All interested parties can receive copies of any information related to the DFC Determination process by going to:

https://www.dropbox/GMA8 Run 11 & Support Documents     

Those wishing to provide written comment on the proposed DFCs do so by emailing daaron@cuwcd.org, fax: 254-933-8396. Call 254-933-0120 and deliver comments to 700 Kennedy Court, Belton, TX 76513 or mail comments to P.O. Box 1989, Belton, TX 76513.

If interested parties can provide written comments regarding the hearing or the DFCs proposed and those comments need to be received at the District by close of business on February 3, 2021.